All Kinds of Everything

Today started with the largest omelette we have ever seen and half a loaf of bread….. each, they seem to think we need feeding up, delicious as it was we just could not finish it all.

It was a morning of meetings today, all of which start and end with a time of prayer. After a brief meeting with the Bishop we joined the diocesan accountant, the headmasters who oversee the sponsored children, and some of the diocesan team. Increasing accountability requirements which we have attempted to explain via email have caused a few challenges, but these have been easily resolved in face to face discussions, just one of the reasons why these visits are so important.

Then it was time to meet with the two pastors and two catechists (lay readers) who have just begun their theological degrees funded through CHI. Without this degree preaching is no longer permitted in Rwanda. This has put a huge strain on every diocese as they do not have the funds to train more pastors, and many existing pastors who have been leading parishes for years, are being forced to retire.

All the pastors expressed their gratitude for the support and how it will transform their ministry in their parishes. If you are looking closely at the pictures you may wonder about the reappearance of Stephen, headteacher of Gahima Academy School in the pastors meeting, no, he had not forgotten to leave. Alongside his full time job of head teacher, he is also a lay reader at the local church, beginning theological training, and the Sunday School teacher at the cathedral. A busy man indeed.

Discussions were held around the challenges of ministering to communities without a church to worship in, the need for more bibles and other scripture materials to equip home groups and individuals, and the challenge of serving large parishes without transport.  They all asked for prayer for the church in Rwanda.

The meeting closed in prayer at 12pm with no further plans until 2.45pm, time to start the blog, make a coffee and grab a biscuit for lunch we thought.  No such luck, as we sat on the veranda, coffee in hand, laptop open, David (Bishop’s secretary and our guardian and guide while we are in Kibungo) appeared with instructions that the Bishop was waiting for us to join him for lunch, literally standing on the steps waiting!!!  A hurried clear up and much to our embarrassment, we were led through the queue waiting to enter the dining hall, which they could not do until the bishop had entered, only to be ushered in by the bishop for first dibs of the food. We have been here 4 days and this was our first, but definitely not our last, traditional meal.  

Lunch over we stood to leave, every conversation in the crowded hall stopped, and as one everybody stood as we followed the bishop from the room. There is still great respect for the bishops here.

Our tennis ball supply is dwindling fast as, having given one to a young girl who is often standing around in the grounds of the guest house, there is now a trickle of children and adults appearing at our door looking for a ball. Such a small gift but so highly prized.

This afternoon we visited Gahima Parish where 70 goats were provided in 2021/22 we visited 6 families who were obviously caring for their goats well, they each had between 3 and 6 goats, all had passed a female goat on to another family, a way of passing on their blessings.

They told how their crops had increased as they benefitted from the manure, and their lives had improved. Their children were all in school with fees paid and they were able to buy health insurance for all the family. It is such a blessing to know that this relatively small gift really can change lives. Each one gave thanks to God for the gift of the first goat.

Sadly, there were still many children standing around the streets who should have been in school. There is still much to be done, and we learned how the dream of the archdeacon is to ensure that eventually, every family in his parish would benefit from the passing on of a goat.

The Itetero Primary School is in the grounds of the diocesan office, and we arrived back just as the children were leaving school, chaos ensued as we ran the gauntlet as every child wanted to touch our skin, shake our hands and hug us. They are such dear children with no concept of stranger danger and, as always, it was a joy to be with them. No photos sadly, there just wasn’t the opportunity.

A quick visit to our room, and an opportunity to get online, revealed our prayers from the morning meeting had been answered in double quick time. Two new children had been sponsored through the website, one from Gahima Agape School

A final meeting with the Bishop this evening saw us receive beautiful gifts, but the real gift is spending time in the company of such kind hearted people.